Vietnam: The Australian War
Vietnam, The Australian War is a non-fiction book (ISBN 9780732282370) written by Australian author Paul Ham.[1]
This book is a comprehensive history of the First and Second Indochinese wars, written from a predominantly Australian point of view, namely, the First Indochina War and the Vietnam War. It sets the Australian involvement in the war in Vietnam in the context of the American and Vietnamese experiences. The author draws on voluminous sources, many of them recently declassified, and recounts the history of Indochina as far back as about 3000 years.
The book draws heavily on hundreds of interviews with Australian veteran servicemen that were conducted by the author and the Australian Defence Force. The latter have been kept secret since they were taken, almost thirty years previously.[2]
Ham also interviewed North Vietnamese veterans and former Vietcong soldiers, during several visits to Vietnam; as well as relying on interviews with Viet Cong prisoners taken by Australian intelligence agents during the conflict. Vietnam: The Australian War won the 2008 NSW Premier's Prize for Australian History and was shortlisted for the Walkley Award for Non-Fiction.
"The book is the soldiers' story of deployment in an ideological war."[3]
References
- ^ "Lateline - 23/10/2007: Politicians ignored military advice on Vietnam: author". www.abc.net.au. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
- ^ "Book reveals secret history of Vietnam War". ABC News. 23 October 2007. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
- ^ "Vietnam The Australian War By Paul Ham - Thu 8 Nov 2007". www.paperchainbookstore.com.au. Archived from the original on 19 July 2008. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
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